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The Eternal Knights
The Eternal Knights clan is considered one of the oldest and most venerable of its kind, and its members are among the most long-standing members in the world of C/G. One of the last "good" clans, the Eternal Knights are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, and defend the rights of all people. Purpose The Eternal Knights is an organization devoted to goodness and justice, steeped in tradition, ritual, and powerful spiritualism. With an air of mystery and the fantastic like the original Illuminati and Rosicrucian’s of times passed, the Eternal Knights are a group whose name is well known, but whose inner workings and true power remain secret from the public eye. Composed of people from all walks of life--aristocrats and royalty of old blood Europe to the new blood of Americans, all who are worthy are welcomed in the ranks. ::The Code of The Eternal Knights :::*Thou shalt defend and aid the weak and the innocent. :::*Thou shall resist the wicked. :::*Thy shall defend thy fellow knights. :::*Thou shalt not commit treason nor speak out against the knighthood. :::*Thou shall always act with diginity, honor, and courage. :::*Thy shall regard all, even the enemy, with due respect. ::Clan Objectives :::*To carry out and perform acts of Good. :::*Help and Defend those that cannot defend themselves. :::*To actively oppose that seek to do harm to humanity and innocents. :::*Establish a new order in a chaotic time. Leaders Dame Valient Caelastine Structure *Mystic—Adept with force of magic and of spirit or will are our mystics. *Scholar—Devoted to the written word and history, these are keepers and seekers of knowledge. Archivists, historians, occult specialists may all fall in to this category. *Guardian—Those that live by the sword (or gun, or fist, or…) may all be guardians. Trained in martial prowess and the arts of offense and defense, our guardians are indispensable. History Contrary to popular belief, the Order of the Eternal Knights is in fact every bit as ancient as the name implies. Established in the year of our lord One-Thousand Seven, The Eternal Knights will soon be celebrating its millennial anniversary. Texts and illuminations trace the founding of the order to medieval Germany, in a border city near France. Predating the famed Knights Templar and Knight Hospitallers, TEK has weathered the ages through careful management and limited public exposure. As more famous and prominent knighthoods in Europe began to flourish after the First Crusade, the Eternal Knights remained quietly and dutifully in the wings, tending to civil and spiritual matters more pressing and requiring a higher degree of discretion. As was common of the time, only nobility was permitted entry in to their ranks. Initially, the Order was little more than a glorified group of nobleman of similar belief and station. Ironically though, it was through prowess in tourneys and courtly trials that TEK began to be distinguished as something different than the other fledging groupings. Members voluntarily entered in to a strict code of decorum and behavior, and those caught in violation fully acknowledged the consequences that they must face; it was well known that court gossip spread like wild fire, and with the very real possibility that word of unbecoming behavior may reach higher ranking ears, the initial member count was admittedly very small, but very elite as far as courtly etiquette and status. However, as time progressed, it became apparent not only to nobles but the common folk as well that honor and goodness were traits seemingly inherent in those modest knights. Upon receiving a blessing by Pope Nicholas II, the Eternal Knights were officially declared and ordained as having been Chosen by God. After such a proclamation, TEK took a very different step from its contemporaries: entrance in to the knight hood was no longer guaranteed by heredity, and any male demonstrating remarkable virtue, charity, bravery, and piety was permitted to apply for entry. In short, one need no longer be a member of the “natural” nobility to become a knight, and being a descendant from blooded nobility was no longer means of entry. In the thirteenth century, in honor of Saint Dymphna, women were also granted membership rights to the knighthood, first declared at Lady Companions of The Eternal Knights, and then later earning equal status as Dames. How was it that this only slightly peculiar knight hood came to be declared as truly holy by the mighty church? Records indicate many occasions in which displays of inexplicable but undeniable or unquestionable demonstrations of divine power occurred, with one of the most recent additions to the list including the manifestation of the Scriptura in the Dame Valient Caelastine. The first instance such of true divinity occurring publicly by members of the Eternal Knights transpired on December 22nd in the year 1389. Two townships, the names of which have long since been lost in the pages of history, faced a civil war of potentially devastating magnitudes. Nobility of the area were preparing for the worst, at odds with one another to land rights before blood had even been shed. A web of treachery larger than Rome itself tangled the area, threatening to tear the land in twain—fields and herds would be devastated, entire villages and towns decimated by hunger and the ravages of war if the fighting continued. It was on the morn of what would have been the deciding battle that the Eternal Knights assembled; each member wore their surcoat bearing their arms, both that of the Eternal Order and their family, whether natural or granted*. On horseback they lined themselves in the middle of the field, side by side, yet facing alternately back to front, banners from all their home lands billowing proudly in the bitter winter wind and forming an impressive partition between the two forces. When the horns sounded, and the opposing sides began their rush, a bright light began emanating from the crown of every knight’s head. Sunbeams began to pierce through the gloom and haze, reflecting off armor like mirrors. An ethereal silence through the field, and frightened, the charging forces halted and stared, awestruck. Was it possible that so many from such different backgrounds could stand together, united? By divine decree, it seemed so. And then, they began the soldiers began their retreat when one by one, the Knighthood raised their pennants in to the air. That unto itself was not perhaps the defining moment of that day. Rather, it was when one of the commanders again sounded a battle cry. In that moment, as death was threatened to all those that proved their treachery now, a golden streak shot from no where at all, brilliant and flaming; half a moment later, the lord was unseated from his horse, an impossibly long, golden arrow piercing his chest clean through. That arrow, sometimes known as the Phoenix Dart, was said to have been fired by an angelic archer, one of the same that allegedly slew Alaric of the Goths. To this day, the Phoenix Dart supposedly sits in one of the many vaults of the Order. Through out the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance period, the Eternal Knights grew modestly though steadily in size—it was not uncommon for a knight to take a pilgrimage to a far off city, establishing a chapter of the knighthood once arrived. Through it all though, the stringent membership requirements were upheld, which in later times was hugely beneficial and may well have saved the knighthood from destruction. In the fourteenth century, when the Templars were scandalized and made out to be heretics, The Eternal Knights escaped persecution for the simple fact all of their actions abided clearly by the now highly romanticized ideals of their time, even though their acceptance of women in to their ranks lost them more strident (i.e. public) support of the church. Though unhappily they weathered through the murderous Spanish Inquisition, it was in the sixteenth century, during the formation of the Jesuits that The Eternal Knights publicly split from the mighty Catholic Church. By this time, however, defenders of the faith were already numerous including but not limited to the Order of the Dragon in Eastern Europe, staving off the Turkish encroachment. While some members of the Order of the Dragon were effective against the Ottoman invasion, The Eternal Knights were at frequent odds with the Order’s founder, Sigismund of Luxembourg. This is not to suggest that The Eternal Knights shunned the Church or Faith. In fact, if anything, their break further cemented the idea that they were in fact God’s Favored. The mysterious powers that many of the Knights had displayed did not falter or vanish, but strengthened. When Knights were called to service, church verified “miracles” frequently occurred. Instances of halos, weeping statuary, stigmata, multi-tonal voices is but a very small list of witnessed and documented events. By the late nineteenth century, partially attributed to the Imperialist movement, The Eternal Knights had chapters located through out the world, though primarily in Europe. Chapter houses exist in Japan, China, Siam (now Thailand), India, Egypt, Tunisia, Persia (now Iran), Russia, Hungary, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Greece, Great Britain, the United States, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Smaller groups exist in countless more locations and cities, though the above places are considered to be primary locations or head quarters. The most recent additions to the list of Chapter Houses are the United States location (established in 1939; originally located in Boston, recently relocated to New York), Australia (established 1960), and Argentina (established 1987). Like the Catholic Church, TEK is almost endlessly wealthy. Initially, the vaults and coffers were filled by way of family fortune and inheritances, through grants by royalty and the church as well. Over the long course of its existence, however, and being so focused on continued survival and prosperity, TEK has long participated on a civil level in activities such as banking and financing. With so much old money collecting interest in so many locations, participation in the stock market of the twentieth century has been able to amass a dizzying fortune for the Order. Clever accountants continuously manage to turn a profile from seemingly nothing at all, by way of profitable investing, stock trading, and real estate, among other things. Locations 1007 A.D. — Founding of the Eternal Knights in Germany 1142 A.D. — Establishment of first Chapter House in France 1168 A.D. — Establishment of first Chapter House in Italy 1688 A.D. — Establishment of first Chapter House in Spain 1724 A.D. — Establishment of first Chapter House in China 1845 A.D. — Establishment of first Chapter House in Great Britain 1891 A.D. — Establishment of first Chapter Houses in Japan; India current base in New York Artifacts *Sleeve of Galahad, acquired in 965. Tourney token said to have belonged to the “greatest knight in the world”. Found in a reliquary of a burned church. Miraculously and speaking of its holy qualities, the sleeve has deteriorated only slightly in over one thousand years. *Dagger of Saint Bartholomew, acquired in 1290. Long, wide knife made of white iron (marcasite) rendering it seemingly ineffective as a functional tool or weapon. Largely ceremonial, it has passed through various hands since its creation; the most remarkable aspect of this knife is that all tests show the item to have been created in the year 300 A.D., approximately, long before techniques necessary to fashion such a blade would have been developed. Also, the custom scabbard dates to an equivalent time frame, rumored to be made from the flayed flesh of the saint. *Phoenix Dart, acquired in 1389. Heavenly arrow said to have slain Eirenhorn, the noble that had continued to encourage dissention and battle among a war torn region. *Heart of Rouen, acquired in 1431. Allegedly the heart of slain martyr and Saint Joan of arc. Though her body was burned three times over, Isambart de la Pierre snatched her heart from the ashes, which was never said to charred or disintegrated as did the rest of her frame. *Stones of Emerentiana, acquired in 1506. A collection of seven fist sized stones said to have been instruments in the death of Emerentiana. When attuned to a proper wielder, these stones will fly at their own accord and strike down the wicked. Only one instance of attunement has occurred since acquisition. *Needle of Cosmas, acquired in 1582. As long as an adult’s index finger though slender as a pencil, the Needle is claimed to have amazing curative properties, said to heal open wounds with a ritual mimicking the suturing of said wound, as well as cure disease by pressing the tip over the afflicted persons heart and uttering a series of somewhat complex prayers. Last documented case of effective use:1717. *Ascalon, acquisition date unknown; first documented as being in possession of the Eternal Knights in 1644. Legendary lance having belonged to Saint George, the Dragon Slayer. Though the lance has been splintered in to two pieces, it remains in otherwise whole and remarkable condition. *Mirror of the Magdalena, acquired in 1823. A small bronze hand mirror that was to have belonged to Mary Magdalene, left in the cave of the Resurrection when it was found empty. The mirror supposedly shows auras in its polished reflection, both diabolical and divine. Ironically, the mirror was found in a junk shop and purchased for the modern equivalent of nine American dollars. *The Archon’s Halo, bestowed in 1998. Currently in the possession the Dame Valient Caelastine. Slender gold circlet worn about the head. Properties not wholly known, though instances of electrical storms, lightning, and other occurrences while worn by the Dame are well documented. *The Nail of Helena, acquired in 2006. One of the nails used in the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Affiliations See Also * RPGChat Recruitment Category: